Near-record case numbers of the winter vomiting bug Norovirus are keeping pressure on England’s hospitals this winter.
Figures from NHS England show an average of 948 patients a day were hospitalised with Norovirus last week, slightly down from the previous week’s seasonal high of 961 patients, but more than two thirds higher than in the same week last year.
Despite the ongoing pressure, separate monthly figures show nearly three in four (73 per cent) of patients were seen within four hours of attending A&E in January, an improvement on December (71.1 per cent) and January 2024 (70.4 per cent).
But staff absences remain high with nearly 51,000 absences a day, up 5 per cent on the same week last year, and adult hospital bed occupancy remains at an average of 96 per cent.
An average of 14,087 of those beds were taken up by patients who were medically fit for discharge every day last week, the highest the NHS has recorded so far this winter.
The Royal College of Physicians pointed out that over the last month more than 420,000 who were medically fit for discharge remained in hospital, a 14 per cent increase on December.
Those patients often end up stuck in hospital waiting for space in nursing homes or other care facilities.
Dr John Dean, clinical vice president of the college, said it was an unsustainable situation.
“Every day, thousands of patients remain stuck in hospital beds—not because they need medical care, but because there is simply nowhere for them to go such as a place in a residential care home, or a support package for care in their current home. This is a systemic failure that places intolerable pressure on the NHS,” he said.
“Delayed discharges overwhelm emergency departments, force the cancellation of planned treatments, and cause patients unnecessary distress and deterioration in their health. The impact ripples across the entire healthcare system—from paramedics waiting with patients in ambulances to doctors and nurses struggling to find space for those in urgent need.”
NHS England’s national clinical director for urgent and emergency care Professor Julian Redhead said: “This post-pandemic period is potentially the hardest the NHS has ever managed and that has certainly been true this winter with soaring levels of viruses, high bed occupancy and difficulties discharging patients – with last week seeing 14,000 beds taken up each day by patients who were medically fit for discharge.
“Despite that storm of pressure in January, A&E and ambulance waiting times were improved on both the month and year before, and this year we will continue work to improve patient flow across hospitals throughout the year, to ensure that we’re in a better position for next winter.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “As we work to end the misery of people left stranded on NHS waiting lists, we will also continue to address the issues facing our A&E departments.
“Annual winter pressures should not automatically lead to an annual winter crises and we will soon publish our plan to improve urgent and emergency care services, so the NHS can be there for everyone when they need it, once again.”
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